§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new businesses registered for VAT in (i) Pendle and (ii) the north-west in each year since 1987.
§ Sir John CopeCustoms do not have information conerning the number of businesses registered in the Pendle constituency. The local VAT office at Accrington covers, in addition, the towns of Blackburn, Bolton, Burnley and Clitheroe. Figures for the north-west cover Cheshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. The numbers of new businesses registered for VAt since 1987 are as follows:
Year New registrations at Acrington LVO New registrations in the north west 1987 2,065 19,209 1988 2,595 22,805 1989 2,807 25,417 1990 2,680 24,426 1991 2,298 21,380 1992 2,114 19,827